303.17 Administration and management.

(1) The county board of supervisors shall control the management of a house of correction under s. 303.16, pursuant to such regulations and under the direct supervision and control of such officers as the county board of supervisors prescribes. No such regulation may be finally adopted on the day on which it is first presented to the county board of supervisors for consideration, nor until it has been considered and reported upon by the proper committee of the county board of supervisors. The county board of supervisors may by ordinance place the management of the house of correction under the control of the county department under s. 46.21 or 46.23, whichever is applicable, and in that event s. 46.21 or 46.23, so far as applicable, shall control. The county board of supervisors may by ordinance resume control of the management of the house of correction. The county board of supervisors shall, in accordance with the civil service law, prescribe the number and compensation of all personnel needed for the administration of the house of correction, and fix their duties.

(2) The chief judge of the judicial administrative district and his or her designees, district attorney and sheriff for the county and the mayor or other chief executive officer and the municipal attorney of its most populous city, village or town shall constitute a board of visitors, who shall investigate the affairs of the house of correction on the first Monday of August in each year, and report in writing to the county board of supervisors at its annual meeting, or to the county department under s. 46.21 or 46.23 if the county department is in charge of the institution, setting forth its condition, and suggesting such alterations, improvements or other matters respecting the management, discipline and government of the institution as may promote the purposes thereof and the interests of the county.

History: 1977 c. 449; 1985 a. 176; 1989 a. 31 s. 1692; Stats. 1989 s. 303.17; 1993 a. 89.

Once a county establishes a house of corrections, county employees must perform the incarceration functions. There is no authority for a private security firm to perform these functions. OAG 1-96.